Diversity and Inclusion, Department of Neurology

OHSU researchers, scientists and clinicians in white lab coats, many kneeling, heads bowed, wearing protective face masks
OHSU participates in a #whitecoatsforBlacklives, taking nine minutes of silence in observance of lives lost, June 12 (OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff)

We foster a department that is diverse in people and ideas

We foster a department that is diverse in people and ideas; is inclusive of diversity in race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity, ability and disability, age and appearance. We strive to provide the highest quality care for all people, with understanding of historical racial, ethnic, and gender-biases that have undermined care equity.

OHSU Department of Neurology Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives

Recruitment
We strive to recruit, retain, and support diverse faculty, residents, staff, and interns. Our Department is dedicated to the advancement of racially, ethnically and gender-diverse faculty, staff, fellows, and students.

Research
We are dedicated to research that engages diverse populations and that examines issues affecting the health and well-being of underrepresented and marginalized groups.

Mentoring and training
We are actively engaged in mentoring and training future scientists who come from economically and racially underserved groups. Leadership includes:

Care for patients of all backgrounds
Our faculty participate in local and national advocacy initiatives, and research initiatives to address and raise awareness of neurologic care of patients from all backgrounds.

How we foster a culture of belonging
We believe in fostering inclusivity and creating a culture of belonging for all faculty, staff, and trainees, wherein diverse ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds contribute to the advancement of our department.

  • Our Neurology Diversity and Inclusion Committee meets regularly and engages departmental leadership, junior and senior faculty, residents, post-doctoral fellows, graduate students, interns, and staff.
  • Faculty members Edward Kim, M.D. and Marissa Kellogg, M.D., M.P.H. lead resident discussions to raise awareness of diversity and inclusion supports at OHSU. Learn more about our residency program.

Unconscious bias training
We are dedicated to examining our unconscious biases and provide tools for our faculty, staff, and trainees to uphold quality and equity for all.

Brain Health Bridges Across the US and Latin America: From Computational Approaches to Brain Health Diplomacy
Agustin Ibáñez, Ph.D., Professor, Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience and Director, Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibanez, UAI, Chile
June 21, 2023

The Evolving Landscape of Therapy Development in Neurology
Erika Augustine, M.D., M.S., Associate Chief Science Officer, Director of Clinical Trials Unit, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD
June 7, 2023

The LGBTQ Community, Cognitive Impairment, and Caregiving
Whitney Wharton, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Director, School of Nursing Biofluid Laboratory, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
May 10, 2023

When Social Neuroscience Meets Environmental Psychology: A Love Story
Shellae Versey, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.S., Assistant Professor, Psychology & African American Studies, Fordham University, NY
June 1, 2022

Social and Structural Determinants of Inequalities in Cognitive Impairment and Dementia
Jennifer Manly, Ph.D., Professor, Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, NY
May 25, 2022    

Achieving Equity and Justice in Neurology
Nicte I. Mejia, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor, Neurology, Harvard SoM, Boston, MA
December 15, 2021

The Biopsychosocial Impact of Art on the Neurobiology of Stress: An Awareness-Based Approach to Healing Intergenerational Trauma
Sara King, M.A.,  Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Neurology, OHSU
October 13, 2021    

The Effects of Sleep Disturbance on the Brain
Temitayo O. Oyegbile-Chidi, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of California, Davis
September 15, 2021    

Neurodecolonization, Mindfulness, and the Medicine Wheel: An Indigenous Model of Traditional Healing
Michael Yellow Bird, M.S.W., Ph.D., Dean and Professor, Faculty of Social Work, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
June 30, 2021

How Can We Achieve Equity In Parkinson’s Disease Care?
Nabila Dahodwala, M.D., M.S., Associate Professor, Neurology & Perelman SoM, University of Pennsylvania
March 31, 2021    

Multiple Sclerosis in African Americans: Differences and Disparities between Black and White 
Edward Kim, M.D.,  Associate Professor, Neurology, OHSU
December 16, 2020    

Beyond Diversity:  The Challenge of Building a 21st Century Workforce in Healthcare
Esther K. Choo, M.D., M.P.H., Professor, Emergency Medicine, OHSU
September 23, 2020    

Recent news

Spotlight on...

Headshot photo of Oz Ismail, Ph.D.
Ozama (Oz) Ismail, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Scholar, Mishra Lab

Ozama (Oz) Ismail, Ph.D. is a postdoctoral scholar in the Mishra Lab, studying the mechanistic links between small stroke events and the onset of Alzheimer’s pathology later in life. Oz is also an advocate for improving diversity and addressing racial inequity and is passionate about raising minoritized voices within science and society. He co-founded the Minorities in STEM network and sits on the board of the Alliance for Visible Diversity in Science. Oz is also an avid science communicator and co-hosts a popular science podcast called Why Aren’t You A Doctor Yet? (on Spotify). Podcast also available on iTunes.

Archive of spotlights

Outdoor photo of a smiling Doctor Holly Hinson

Holly Hinson, M.D., MCR, FAAN named Associate Editor of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for Neurology (October 8, 2019).

Watch Hinson's Neurology Grand Rounds: LGBQTI Health in Neurology.

Raina Croff, Ph.D., posed for a smiling photo

Sharing History through Active Reminiscence and Photo-Imagery (SHARP) (OHSU News, Spring 2020)
Program  led by Raina Croff, Ph.D. strives to forestall memory loss through walking and reminiscing in north and northeast Portland.

Sará King, Ph.D., posed outside in natural light, smiling

Sará King, Ph.D., T32 postdoctoral fellow and OFDIR awardee, is featured in a story about influential yogis shaking up the way we look at, talk about and practice yoga: 15 Influential Yogis You Need to Know, Yoga Journal

Sará King’s work integrates culturally celebratory yoga and mindfulness practices into a community intervention for Alzheimer’s disease for the African-American community of Portland, SHARP. Her research also focuses on healing the trauma of gentrification and its impact on brain and cognitive health. Sará is an internationally recognized thought leader in field of mindfulness and social justice in schools, and has enjoyed public speaking and advocacy work at the intersection of these fields.